A former substitute teacher and coach from Arroyo High School in El Monte received a sentence of nine days in jail and three years of probation for molesting a student, authorities said.

Daniel Rios, 51, (Courtesy photo by the El Monte Police Department)

Daniel Rios, 51, pleaded “no contest” last month to a single misdemeanor count of annoying or molesting a child, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani.

He was sentenced to nine days in county jail and three years of summary probation, Ardalani said. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life, surrender his teaching license and pay restitution to all victims.

Under a negotiated plea arrangement, a felony count of committing a lewd or lascivious act with a child, as well as three additional misdemeanor counts of annoying or molesting a child, were dismissed, officials said.

Police first arrested Rios last April after learning of the alleged crimes, which police said involved as many as five students and took place in November and December of 2016.

In February 2017, he resigned from his position with the school, which is part of the El Monte Union School District, and remained free on bond pending the trial process.

If convicted as originally charged, Rios would have faced up to six years behind bars.

Brian Day has covered crime and breaking news for the Southern California News Group since 2007. He’s a graduate of California State University, Fullerton and Cerritos College in Norwalk. He loves dogs and has a pet German shepherd, which in turn, has a pet cat. Brian is a local news junkie, a licensed drone pilot and a part-time science geek with an unfortunate predilection for puns.

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